


Imprisonment

by merlinsmushrooms



Category: Sofia the First (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, why did they leave this so open ended
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-05
Updated: 2017-05-05
Packaged: 2018-10-28 06:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10825878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merlinsmushrooms/pseuds/merlinsmushrooms
Summary: When Cedric finds out that the Order of the Wand has been defeated, he grows curious as to the fate of the only other person to have called him a friend.





	Imprisonment

It had taken over a week for Merlin to return his frantic letters in regards to the Order of the Wand. At first, he worried that perhaps the other sorcerers had succeeded in both taking over their kingdoms, but also in thwarting the resistance that they faced from those still loyal to the crown. When the news finally came that all of the tyrants had been defeated, Cedric felt a sort of neutrality that troubled him more than the news itself. The others obviously had their reasons for wanting power, but there was one individual in particular that confused him now that he had time to reflect on the whole ordeal. 

Greylock.

The jester wizard had seemed so proud of his position as the royal sorcerer of Rudistan; a country known for its wealth, grandeur, and glamor. Why he had turned against Magnus was a mystery. While the king was pompous and arrogant, he had done nothing but speak highly of his right-hand man, and it was rare that a king made so many public appearances with his sorcerer by his side. What ill could he have harbored towards Magnus beside annoyance? Greylock had never seemed like a truly malicious man even going back as far as their school days. A prankster? Yes. A bit of a bully at times? Yes. But a man capable of treason? He was still in disbelief. The second person to have ever considered him a friend couldn’t truly be that bad, could he? 

He had to know.  
He absolutely had to speak with him at least one more time.

Luckily, it seemed that Magnus had spared his sorcerer’s life. It was unlikely to be pity but rather an attachment that led to the life sentence that his friend had received. It seemed like a much crueler fate to toss somebody into a cell and have them rot for the rest of their years, but it was as things were. These were the consequences of their actions, and if it weren’t for the Princess’s kindness, he too would be locked up in a similar fate— or worse. Executed. 

Roland had made arrangements to travel to Rudistan to discuss the events that had just transpired. The king was hesitant at first to allow him to come along, but the princess had argued that he would benefit from seeing just what would have happened to him if he hadn’t stepped down when he did. Despite his liege's accusations that he could likely be scheming to break one of his allies out of confinement, Sofia once again managed to quell the king’s anxiety by offering to observe him over the entirety of the trip. His hesitation was apparent, but eventually, he would surrender and agree to her conditions. Bless that child. It seemed she understood his strife quite well and even seemed delighted when he mentioned the prospect of another friend— even if said friend could have easily been lying.

It was after a long and dreadfully awkward dinner that the two of them were allowed to take their leave for their visitation. Magnus had gloated that Cedric was a good man for choosing the right side - the details as to why he had failed to take over his kingdom were left out of every conversation - and seemed more than welcome to allow him to see what happened to traitors. The crooked smile on the monarch’s face was obnoxiously grating, but it wasn’t anything he could dwell on. No matter how arrogant that fool was, he was king, and nothing would change that it seemed— except for perhaps time.

They were escorted by one of the palace guards down what felt like an infinite flight of stairs. The first thing that he could note upon entering the damp and dimly lit halls of the dungeon was that the cells were uncannily empty. Even Enchancia, a kingdom renowned for its lack of criminals, housed a couple of crooks in their cells at most times. Rudistan was indeed a safe country as well, but there was something off about the sight. Perhaps the prisoners had been moved elsewhere due to them housing a sorcerer? It was likely they didn’t wish to take any chances on an escape attempt.

“He’s in the cell at the end of the hall to the left.” the guard would state firmly as he glanced down upon Sofia curiously. Cedric figured he was off-put by somebody so young accompanying him on such a dreary mission, but it couldn’t be helped. It had already been explained that she was the one who would oversee the meeting, and the guard would remain at his typical post once he had escorted the two. As Sofia thanked the soldier for his assistance, he would turn and make his way back towards the stairs. He was relieved simply because privacy was a welcome notion for something that could be so intimate. 

Hesitation grasped him as he turned down the hallway, but the princess would grasp his hand and urge him forwards, smiling weakly at him. It seemed that she too was nervous, but her courage helped him regain his composure.

As they approached the cell that the guard stated the traitorous sorcerer was housed in, Cedric peered inside with curious intent. It was dark, but he could make out the shape of his friend in the corner, bunched up on a makeshift bed made of hay. It was hard to tell if he was asleep or not so he would call out to him with a gentle yet apprehensive voice.

“Greylock?”

The rattling of chains could be heard as the body in the cage shifted slightly, but the other sorcerer would not respond.

“Greylock, please. I need to talk to you.”

Again, the rattling of chains, but this time accompanied by a shrill wheezing. Greylock would shift once more, slowly turning over to face the two of them, but in the dark, it was so hard to make out any sort of expression the other could be making. 

Annoyed by both the other’s silence and his inability to make out any sort of detail, Cedric would reach into his sleeves to procure his wand, the tip illuminating lightly as he smacked it a few times against his palm. Reaching it between the bars, he would recoil instantly, shocked at the drastic measures that Magnus had gone to in order to ensure that Greylock had no means of escaping.

Not only were his ankles shackled in the usual protocol, but his neck had a large iron brace around it as well. All the chains were disturbingly short, and it became apparent immediately that the sorcerer was indeed in copious amounts of pain. Nobody would manage well with something so heavy clamped down upon their throat, and it was a wonder that he was even able to move with such a weight upon him. This was no mercy— this was a punishment worse than death, and it was obvious considering Magnus’s narcissistic nature that this was intentional. 

Ignoring the hostile glare that the other shot towards him, Cedric would place his wand between the bars of the cell and immediately cast a spell to free him from the braces. It was the least he could do, even if temporary, to repay the other’s kindness in the past.

He would give Greylock a moment to recoup. Gasping for air, he would slowly rise to his feet, wobbling as he steadied himself using the walls for balance. Cedric’s stomach twisted as he watched, but he felt slightly relieved as the other sorcerer began to make his way slowly towards the bars, grasping them as he seemed to struggle to keep himself standing. The anger that he had just harbored in his expression was still there but also dashed with a hint of confusion. They would exchange a silent stare for what could have been an eternity before the weakened sorcerer would finally speak, his eyes dropping to examine the princess standing beside him.

“...you betrayed us.”

That was the first thing he’d have to say to him? It was at least understandable.

“YOU BETRAYED US.”

His anger was unsettling enough for Sofia to step back, hiding behind Cedric’s robe as she glanced up at him for reassurance. Everything was going to be okay, and he would nod at her to try to ease her nerves. There was nothing that Greylock could do in his weakened state, nor was there anything he could do while on the other side of the bars. If there was one thing that the princess had taught him, it was that those in pain needed time to sort out their thoughts. Greylock’s anger was entirely warranted and he would allow him to seethe for as long as was needed. They had the entire evening. 

After another bout of silence, Cedric would attempt once more to speak with him using a tone mimicking that of the princess’s calm.

“Greylock, if I betrayed you, would I not be here to see you once more?”

Greylock’s breathing grew deeper and his gaze was averted, but in due time he would speak once more.

“...what do you want?”

“I wanted to see if you were okay.”

A huff escaped the other man as he once again glared.

“I am more than okay. I’m having a most wonderful time ruling this dungeon.” 

“I don’t think now’s the time for jokes. You’re obviously not. What they’ve done to you is…”

He couldn’t find the words. In the eyes of those he had betrayed, Greylock certainly deserved this hell. Seeing the broken skin along where the braces had rubbed against the other’s flesh, Cedric would cringe knowing that had he gone after anybody but Roland he’d most likely have shared the same fate. His sentence was akin to that of a petty criminal looking back on it, and for the first time, he realized that Roland had been easy on him. Such thoughts were to be saved for another time, however, and Cedric would get himself back to the topic at hand.

“Greylock, I need to ask you something important.”

No answer, but he would press.

“Why did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Go with Grimtrix. Join the order. Actually take over Rudistan.”

“You were at that meeting, Cedric. We sorcerers don’t deserve to be pets. We deserve to be the ones in power because we are the ones with power.”

“That’s not exactly what I meant. You seemed so eager, but when you visited Enchancia you seemed happy to work for Magnus. It seemed odd that you were just as enthusiastic as I about taking over your kingdom.”

“Who would be happy working for Magnus?! The only person that brute has ever cared about is himself. You would never understand, Cedric. Roland at least seems to have some shred of concern for you.”

Roland? Caring about him? If only Greylock knew the torment the royal family had put him through all those years, but there was a truth in that even Roland couldn’t be compared to Magnus. Perhaps similar cruelty had been inflicted upon Greylock once he had graduated from a student into the royal sorcerer that he had become. It would be understandable why he turned so quickly if that were the case. Still, he pondered just how bad things might have been. 

“And did people not care about you here? Magnus may be an idiot, but surely the others...”

“Saw me as nothing more than a token for their own entertainment.”

“But you were always…”

“The jester? The class clown? I loved every second of that life before Magnus began to take credit for all my work. It was never my parties or my shows, it was his. Everything was his to claim. The moment I was forced to serve him was the moment I vowed if I ever had the chance to usurp him, I would. ”

“Mister Greylock…”

The Princess finally spoke out for the first time since the confrontation began. The look of dismay on her face seemed to indicate that she felt some sort of empathy towards the wizard; the same sort of empathy she had graced him with when he had belted his heart out just the week prior. Stepping forwards, she would reach out for him, but the mage would flinch and step away, trembling as he stared at her with a mortified expression. He was scared, but of what? 

“Greylock, I know how you feel. I truly do.”

“I know. That’s why I agreed with Grimtrix to invite you.”

Agape, Cedric would freeze at the statement. They had agreed to invite him? Was there some sort of disagreement between the others, or did they not know? None of them seemed remotely surprised when he had shown up as the last attendee, so surely there must have been some discussion prior. Obviously, there was considering his status as the worst royal sorcerer his kingdom ever had, but to think that both Greylock and Grimtrix had vouched for him? It was a bittersweet sentiment that he could barely stomach. Had the two others cared about him enough to have him be a part of their dastardly plans? 

“You were my friend, Cedric. I just... can’t believe you’d do this to us.”

While he technically had no part in the other’s failure, he couldn’t help but feel remorse about his situation. Greylock had truly considered him a friend? It was obvious that was no longer the case, but a fleeting thought of what might have been if he had noticed the sincerity sooner washed over him, and he felt himself reaching down to gently grasp Sofia’s shoulder to comfort himself. He couldn’t deal with this confliction. Not now. Not with this kind of suffering on his hands.

The conversation halted once more, the two of them exchanging awkward glances back and forth once more. While this wasn’t the hardest conversation he had ever had - that honor went to him admitting everything to Roland upon his own apprehension - it felt harder to form the words for some reason. A rant that came from the heart couldn’t compare to whatever this mess was, and as he chewed on his bottom lip to urge his nerves, he couldn’t help but notice once more how much his former friend was trembling.

“...are you okay?” he’d ask once more, Sofia’s head cocking at him curiously. Normally he would expect a smile from her due to his display of concern, but there was no place for smiles here.

“...I already answered that.”

“You’re shaking. Have you eaten?”

“Not since they threw me in here.”

The princess would interject before he had the chance to display his own concern.

“That’s horrible! Aren’t they supposed to at least give you some bread?”

Greylock’s bitter expression grew somber as the child spoke, and he would lean himself up against the bars as he proceeded to slide down to sit beside the two of them with his back turned. It seemed like what little strength he had remaining was sapped, and he had no reason to continue whatever act it was he was trying to put forth. It would take a moment, but with a pained sob, he would finally admit the severity of his situation.

“They won’t, child.”

It was then the reality of it all hit him.  
Greylock had been condemned to death in secret. A horrific plot on Magnus’s part. This was precisely why they had attempted to take over their kingdoms. Fate was horribly cruel and ironic. 

“Mr. Cedric, we have to help him! He’ll die if we leave him here!”

The concerned child would finally place her hand upon the prisoner’s shoulder, looking up towards Cedric with a look of horror that filled him with even more dread. He had to speak the truth— no matter how painful it was.

“There’s nothing we can do to help him.”

“Please! You can let him out! Get him out of here! He obviously regrets what he’s done!”

It could be true. No man who didn’t regret his actions would cry in the face of others as Greylock did. He was guilty, but of a crime that came from desperation. If he were in his place he would yearn for somebody to let him free, but he had sworn that he would do nothing of the sort. If he released him, his neck would be the next on the chopping block. No mercy would be given. Two acts of treason were unforgivable. Yet, he wanted to more than anything. If he truly did see him as a friend and regret his actions, there would be no harm in letting him flee and go into hiding.

It was as his thoughts began to shift into this internal debate that Greylock would state an obvious truth.

“I’d have nowhere to go.”

“Nonsense!” the princess would exclaim, “You could come to Enchancia. I’m sure Mr. Cedric knows of a place you could hide! That is if you promise to never do anything bad again.”

Of course, she would place the burden of responsibility on him, but it was true. He did know of a place he could stash the delinquent in until the inevitable hunt for him ceased. How long that would take was a mystery considering the severity of his crime, but it was unlikely that any search for him in Enchancia would last more than a few weeks. Perhaps it was a plan that could work, and if the cards were played correctly, he could attempt to start a new life somewhere in one of the villages— or even become some sort of woodland hermit. It had been quite some time since Enchancia had one of their own.

Shaking his head at the funny thought amidst what was supposed to be something serious, Cedric would sigh deeply as he contemplated it all. 

“Please, Mr. Cedric. I’ll say he wasn’t here when you got down here!” 

Between Greylock’s anguish and Sofia’s pleading, he couldn’t take it anymore. With a single swift motion, Cedric would drop his wand into Greylock’s cell and brace himself for the words that he himself was about to say.

“You are to meet me at the Dunwiddie fountain at midnight on the fifth. I will escort you personally to your hideaway. If you do not show...”

He couldn’t finish the statement. If Greylock didn’t meet him at the arranged time it would either be because he was caught during his escape, or he had lied about everything now just to garner pity. Both were terrible outcomes, but for once he would need to remain optimistic for her sake and his own sanity. The deed had already been done, and Greylock had grabbed Cedric’s wand without a word. Perhaps he was speechless, but it didn't matter anymore. There was only one thing to be done now.

“Run.”

And with that, Cedric would turn heel with Sofia following behind him diligently, racing their way back up the stairs to call for the guard. Hopefully what little strength his friend had remaining was enough to get him somewhere relatively safe quickly. He was a talented sorcerer. All he needed to do was escape and last a couple more days...

**Author's Note:**

> {{A quick(ish) prompt from my role-playing blog to explain why Greylock is still a character that is heavily mentioned past the events of Day of the Sorcerers.}}


End file.
